The Wahpeton times., 1887-12-15
BRANDENBukG ITEMS.

TO the Editor Of The Times:
This evening asssI write we ar
having a beautiful bouncing bliz
zard. blowing from the north west
But as the fall weather has con
tinued good so long it is hoped tina
none are found unprepared 70
winter.
Our genial neighbor and enter
prlsing townsman, August Hoefs
says "it is boy this time" and hi
jolly face beams with supreme hap.
piness.
Two of Mr.. VIM. Hoefs children
have been suffering with a malig
nant fever. but through the efforts
of DR.. Murphy Of Hankinson, they
are convalescent and hopes are en-.
tertained of their speedy recovery
A FEW ABsURDIT1Es OF THE DAKOTA
SCHOOL LAW.
Sec. 30, provides that the town.
ship school board shall meet four
times year, on the second Tues
days Of January, April, July and
October. That they shall receive pay
for their services. o, yes, of course.
They are to receive tile magnificent
sum of $1.0O each, for their years
work, and no more. Well doesn't
it strike you as being simply re-
diculous, that the educational well
fare. and most especially the finan-
cial matters Of a school township
should be saddled upon men, and
they forced to transact such business
in u proper manner. and only re-
ceive the small contemplate sum
mentioned above ? Can it reasonably
be expected that they will meet
regularly four times per year as the
law directs :? Or that school matters
will receive the attention at their
hands that the Importance of their
work demands /?
And again, Sec. 81, Art. 6: The
district director shall give tho
teacher a certificatatn tha clerk of
the township board, stating that
term or part of term of school has
been taught, and that the teacher
is entitled to his pay according to
contract. The teacher takes this
certificate to the clerk who gives
him AN order on tile treasurer, then
the teacher must take that order to
The chairman of the board and get
his signature before he can draw his
wages.
Now let me give you a few in
stances of the working Of this mis-
erable botch of law Va teaches
school in Elma township, B is his
director, who lives a mile southeast.
A goes there at the end of each
month and gets his certificate, c is
chairman of the board who lives
about four miles north
east of the school house, but at
present and during each winter if
you want to find him you will have
to go to Breckinridge. Minnesota.
as his permanent home is there. d
is clerk of the board and lives five
miles northwest of the school house.
A must see all these parties and
get their signatures before he can
60 to the treasurer who lives away
off in another corner of the town.
ship to get his money.
Again, A teaches in Brandenburg.
B, lis district director, lives one
mile east; G. town clerk, five miles
/; d, chairman, four miles
north. In order to get his money
each month, A must make that trip
of about fourteen miles. Sometimes
A is man, but in most instances
the teachers are ladies', hence the
greater Importance for change in
the law. Teachers are not wealthy
by any means, Or they would not
be teaching school for from $50 to
$40 per month, so they cannot af-
ford to keep private conveyance
to make these unnecessary journeys
with. And the large majority need
their money each month as soon as
it is earned.
A man can make out to 20 and see
all the parties if there is no blizzard
to hinder, but you take Dakota as
you find it in winter and it is hard
enough to get to the treasurer,' let
alone running all over the town.
ship to get authority to go there.
But when the teacher is lady 1t
is next to an impossibility to do it.
It is all right to have plenty of safe
guards thrown around the school
funds so that none of it may be mis-
appropriated. But there is entirely
too much "red tape" pervading ali
branches of business. 1t costs too
much trouble and unnecessary delay
to get little matters of business &C.
cOmDlished